Our Daily Dead

LA Times
Henry Taube, the self-proclaimed “farm boy from Saskatchewan” who won the 1983 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his groundbreaking studies of how electrons are transferred among molecules during chemical reactions, died Wednesday at his home on the Stanford University campus, the university announced. He was 89.

Although his research focused primarily on reactions among metal ions and had little immediate practical benefit, his studies provided crucial insight into the mechanism of respiration, the process by which the body uses oxygen in the air to power cells.

“Henry was a scientist’s scientist and a dominant figure in the field of inorganic chemistry,” said chemist Jim Collman, a professor emeritus at Stanford in Palo Alto.

The Nobel award citation noted 18 specific instances in which Taube had “been first with major discoveries in the entire field of chemistry,” calling him “one of the most creative research workers of our age.”

The movement of electrons between atoms plays a key role in all chemical reactions, such as the burning or oxidation of organic molecules, in which electrons are stripped away from an atom, and the reduction of molecules, in which electrons are added.

“Electron transfers are the guts of chemistry,” said Caltech chemist John Bercaw, and Taube was among the first to show how those transfers take place.

“Henry developed the details of how these reactions occur, and in the process invented a new chemistry regarding transition metals, such as ruthenium,” Collman said.

Many of those metals subsequently become used as industrial catalysts to carry out reactions previously impossible under practical conditions.

Among other things, Taube showed for the first time that electrons could not simply jump from one molecule to another, but had to be transferred over a temporary bridge connecting the two reaction centers.

The exchange of electrons could occur over relatively long distances, moreover, if a sufficiently long bridge was available.

Taube was once asked to describe his research in simple terms. He replied that he had tried to do that once and ended up with a one-year lecture course.

Henry Taube was born on a farm in Neudorf, in southeast Saskatchewan, Canada, on Nov. 30, 1915, and attended a one-room elementary school. He might have become a farmer after graduation from high school, but a teacher, Paul Liefield, arranged for him to take some classes at Luther College, where he worked in a laboratory for room, board and tuition.

“Hello, my name is Edward and I’ll be your driver this evening”.

And as long as we’re talking about bridges you may want to revist the Bridges of Madison County. Or perhaps you might brush up on your whistling while your DVD player spins the Bridge Over the River Kwai.

Excuse me
Oh will you excuse me
I’m just trying to find the bridge… Has anybody seen the bridge?

(Where’s that confounded bridge?) ~ “The Crunge”, Led Zeppelin

All these bridges lead us to today’s OODguest the distinguished Nobel Prize winning scientist Henry Taube. Dr. Taube won the 1983 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his groundbreaking studies of how electrons are transferred among molecules during chemical reactions. Dr. Taube showed that electrons cannot simply jump between molecules during chemical reactions, but rather these electrons require some type of temporary bridge between the two reaction sites.

Dr. Taube further showed that these transfers could occur over relatively long distances if only a confounded bridge of sufficient length could be found. Certainly not a A Bridge Too Far.

Electron transfers are a fundamental aspect of all chemical reactions - consider that while bridging the space between your plate and your mouth. And we’re just guessing here, but likely Dr. Taube’s bridges were discovered for vastly less tax dollars than will be spent on your basic pork barrel Bridge To Nowhere.

And aren’t you just tickled that we got all this way without mentioning that Dr. Taube’s and Steven Spielberg could be said to have something in common? Ah, shucks now, assuredly you can bridge this connection…

NY Times
Ralph Edwards, the broadcast pioneer who was the creator and M.C. of two of the most popular shows in entertainment history, “Truth or Consequences” and “This Is Your Life,” died yesterday at his home in West Hollywood, Calif. He was 92.

His death was announced by his publicity agent, Justin Seremet, The Associated Press reported.

“This Is Your Life,” which began as a radio show in the late 1940’s, was originally seen on television from 1952 to 1961, and was reprised for years after that in syndication. It became something of an American institution. Not only did viewers avidly watch it every week, but they also imitated it: for generations variations of “This Is Your Life” have been part of many family reunions and anniversary celebrations. ABC is planning a prime-time revival next year, featuring Regis Philbin.

Every installment of “This Is Your Life” followed a tried-and-true formula. Mr. Edwards would approach an unwitting subject who happened to be near the show’s Hollywood studio and exclaim, “Tonight, ‘This Is Your Life!’ ”

The show laid bare the lives of unwitting ordinary people as well as celebrities, but it is the celebrities who are remembered. Maureen O’Hara was arriving at a theater for the Academy Awards ceremony when she was surprised. Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were in a hotel meeting with a producer when they were startled by hidden cameras.

During a commercial break, the guest would be taken to the studio, where Mr. Edwards would be waiting with a “This Is Your Life” scrapbook. He would read from it as the guest’s life unfolded. Sometimes a mystery voice would describe an event or anecdote from the person’s past and then that voice would materialize in the form of a lost friend, teacher, relative, Army buddy or old sweetheart. He or she would embrace the guest and tears would flow.

Secrecy, surprise and sentiment were at the core of each show, but some exceptions were made. Eddie Cantor, for instance, was told of his appearance in advance because he had a serious heart ailment.

In the 1950’s “This Is Your Life” won two Emmys and “Truth or Consequences” won one, but not every one admired the shows. Jack Gould, a critic for The New York Times, wrote several columns denouncing “This Is Your Life,” saying in one of them that Mr. Edwards “is just waiting for his guests to break into tears.” Some guests agreed.

Ralph Edwards is dead at age 92 years. A good run for a man who conceived and hosted two radio/TV shows which, when you think about their titles, pretty much summarizes the instruction manual we might be handled upon start-up: “This is your life—truth or consequences.” (“and” may be substituted for “or” as an aftermarket feature.) We ODDones bet a cookie that Edwards’ obituary was the first and only time Merino, Colorado has been mentioned in the New York Times.

Okay, we’re going to lay off New York Times obituary editors and Baptist preachers (how’s that for an ODDcouple?), and issue to our ODDfollowers an ALL POINTS BULLETIN. One of your brethren asks: “wondered if you could find out something for me. Peter Caffrey , Irish Actor, co-stared in the first five seasons of Ballykissangel had to leave the show in 2000 due to throat cancer. I have not found anything on him since. I have tried to find out through his agents, fan clubs, and get no response. His on-line bio only shows a filography, and I have found little else. Could you find out if he is indeed still with us?” Anyone? Anyone? Beuller? Beuller?

Congrats to those of you that correctly answered yesterdays softball “’Son of a preacher man’ was featured in what movie that would curl the toenails of Southern Baptist preacher?” Answer, Pulp Fiction
.
Long live Dick Dale .

Is that “Beulah the Buzzer” we hear?

NY Times
The Rev. Adrian P. Rogers, the three-time president of the Southern Baptist Convention who led a conservative takeover of the powerful denomination that helped usher in a resurgence of conservative Christians on pulpits and in politics, died on Tuesday in Memphis. He was 74.

His death was announced on the Web site of a ministry he founded, Love Worth Finding, www.lwf.org. He had cancer and pneumonia, according to The Baptist Press News.

Mr. Rogers, who used the honorific Dr. because of his many honorary degrees, was a riveting preacher who helped revive the fundamentalist Christian message that the Bible is to be regarded as literally true.

He took over leadership of the Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis in 1972 and built it into one of the nation’s earliest megachurches, with a new suburban campus in Cordova, Tenn., and a congregation of 29,000. He retired as pastor in March.

His first election as president of the Southern Baptist Convention, in 1979, was the turning point in the conservatives’ battle for dominance over theological liberals and moderates - a battle that had been simmering for more than 15 years.

Well, “We’re a little late”–words one never wants to hear from one’s girlfriend, and this comment would probably not sit well with today’s dead person—Adrian P. Rodgers, leader of the Southern Baptist Church
. Oh well, yesterday we were a bit crabby over the Vine Deloira obituary, so today we’ll take aim at a bigger target. The Southern Baptists are the largest Protestant denomination. Under Rodger’s leadership, the Southern Baptists “took controversial positions in favor of evangelizing Jews, boycotting the Walt Disney Company because of its gay-friendly policies, and asserting that women were mandated by the Bible to ‘submit’ to their husbands. Mr. Rogers helped revise the Baptist confession of faith in 2000, which said that only men could serve as pastors.” (New York Times). Sorry, these positions don’t play well with the ODDfellows who, want to eat in the best delicatessens, take multiple rides through Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain, appreciate creative interior decorating, are not into submission of any kind (unless it is shaken or stirred), and could care less about pastor-gender as long as the music’s good and the sermon short.

Okay, while we’re at it, we send words of caution when approaching the baptismal pool. Zap
!

“My, my, that’s a big one.” Now, this is not something we expect to hear from the opposite sex (we be humble ODDites), but it certainly does apply to the rattlesnake whose picture is making its way around the Web
. Is it really 9 feet 1 inch long? Don’t worry. Snopes is on it.

Perhaps this has something to do with regional cuisine, but the recipe for cooking rattlesnake
only states that the snake should be dead first. A restaurateur in Shelby, Mississippi got busted for cooking illegal cottonmouth
. (“Sir, put down the snake, and step away from the deep fryer.”)

Here’s an ODDquiz, “Son of a preacher man” was featured in what movie that would curl the toenails of Southern Baptist preacher? Answer tomorrow.

We’re off to burn in hell.